


Destiny

by W4nderingStar



Series: This is Halloween [4]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Fated Lovers, Halloween AU, History, M/M, Magic, dracula skin for Gabe, pre-vampire Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 11:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16474475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/W4nderingStar/pseuds/W4nderingStar
Summary: His mother never said he couldn’t sneak down to the Seeing Pool with the other children. Her warning was to never go out after dark, and never during one of the holy nights that belonged to the beings of the dark. But what would the beings of dark want with a few children scuttling around the outskirts of their little village?





	Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you have a safe and fun night!
> 
> This work was inspired by PrettyArbitrary's work Mirror Mirror, I loved it so much! If you guys haven't already read it, please do so! It's great! https://archiveofourown.org/works/8453932

 

 

**Destiny**

 

Night laid heavy over the sleeping village. Ghrian poked his head out of his home, glancing around to make sure no adults would stop him. He shielded his candle’s flame with one hand, clutching the holder tightly. The full moon made the candle unnecessary for finding his way, but that wasn’t what he needed it for. Pulling up the hood of his cloak to cover his head, he dashed from his home, keeping to the shadows, staying unseen. 

 

His heart pounded. He’d never disobeyed his mother before. Though, she never said he  _ couldn’t _ sneak down to the Seeing Pool with the other children. Her warning was to never go out after dark, and never during one of the holy nights that belonged to the beings of the dark. But what would the beings of dark want with a few children scuttling around the outskirts of their little village? If Bláth’s older cousin was to be believed, all the children on the cusp of betrothal age did this ritual. And no parents or dark beings were ever the wiser to the bit of unsupervised magic. 

 

He had a bit of a detour when the sleepy night watchman decided to do his job and walk his rounds, blocking Ghrian’s shortcut. By the time he made it to the outskirts of the dark woods, the girls were already there. 

 

“Oh, so Lineage Breaker decided to come after all,” Bláth said in her customary condescending tone. 

 

Ghrian had learned to shrug off his slur of a title back when he was a babe. “You need three for the spell,” he said. 

 

“Three  _ women _ ,” Bláth stressed the word, as if she’d already gone through her rites of womanhood. 

 

“Three  _ people, _ ” Ghrian stressed back, “with magic in their blood. Doesn’t have to be girls.” 

 

“Leave him alone,” Samharah said. “He has more magic flowing through his veins than all of us put together.” 

 

Ghrian smiled at his friend for having his back. 

 

“Not that he can ever do anything with that magic,” Bláth shot back. “Men cannot do magic.” 

 

Ghrian balled his hands into fists. Bláth’s parents must have danced for ages when they heard the Chieftainess of the clan had borne a son. “This magic doesn’t obey anyone.” He tried to keep his voice calm. “It’s wild magic.” 

 

“We’re wasting time talking,” Samharah said. “We need to go before our parents wake.”

 

“I’m leading the spell,” Bláth snapped. “I’ll say when we go.” 

 

Samharah arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Well? Are you scared of the forest?” 

 

Bláth’s face paled. “No.” She shielded her candle and started down the path. 

 

Ghrian had never been to the Seeing Pool before. It was only for those deemed worthy enough by the Chieftainess. Oh. And they had to be girls. Ghrian pursed his lips. After so many generations of magic passed from mother to daughter, it would end with him. He only hoped Samharah proved more powerful at magic than Bláth so he didn't have to see the bully take the Chieftainess necklace. 

 

The trees that surrounded them grew so thick, the moonlight couldn’t reach them. Only the feeble light of their candles illuminated the path. Neither girl spoke. The breeze whispering through the branches made all of them uneasy. The warding stones normally kept curious animals away, but that didn’t mean they were safe. The Seeing Pool was outside of the watchmen’s gaze. If anything happened, they were on their own. 

 

Ghrian reached out and squeezed Samharah’s hand. He would protect her. He always would. She offered him a weak smile in return before she went back to carefully picking where she put her feet on the root-strewn path. Finally, the trees parted and their world filled with light. 

 

Ghrian squinted through the silver moonbeams and took in what lay before him. The Seeing Pool lay a few handspands below his feet in a little hollow created by the trees ringing it. There was a stairway of river-smoothed stones set into the earth, making a steep path to the Pool. Bláth stopped at the precipice and looked down, as if unsure about the plan now that she was here.

 

“Come on,” Samharah whispered. She bravely went first down the stone steps. 

 

Ghrian followed her, no hesitation as he stepped rock to rock. This might be the only time he would do magic his entire life, he was not about to miss it because Bláth was scared. And he was curious who would be his wife. Samharah reached the bank and hiked up her skirts so her hem didn’t drag in the mud. 

 

“Do not disturb the water,” she ordered in a whisper. 

 

Ghrian nodded. He knew better, even without the warning. While he couldn't do magic, he did watch his mother and listened to her stories. Bláth joined them. Together, they set about placing their candles in a triangle. In the space between the little sticks of wax and light, they placed offerings to the wild magic. Ghrian offered the pristine feather of a raven, Samharah put a string of beads, and Bláth a bundle of flowers.  _ Of course _ she did. After that, they knelt, joining hands around the candles. 

 

“We offer these tokens, O Spirits of the Wilds,” Bláth began, “in exchange for a look into our future.”

 

Ghrian and Samharah rolled their eyes. Why did Bláth always have to make things so dramatic?

 

“We humble three, bearers of magical blood, offer you a small piece of our power, in exchange for a look at our destined lover.” 

 

A blast of wind tore through the ring of trees. The three clasped their hands tighter, bowing their heads until the wind vanished just as fast as it appeared. When Ghrian opened his eyes, the candles were blown out, yet their small offerings remained, unmoved by the wind. 

 

They exchanged nervous, excited looks. The Spirits had accepted their offerings. They would be grained what they asked.

 

“Who goes first?” Bláth whispered. 

 

“I’ll go,” Ghrian said.

 

“Not you, Lineage Breaker,” Bláth hissed. “You go last so you don’t offend the Spirits by being a boy.” 

 

“You go,” Samharah whispered, “fearless rite leader.” 

 

Bláth’s face turned pink. “I will.” 

 

She let go of their hands and snatched up her offering. Hiking her skirts up above her knees, she tiptoed through the mud and into the water. She waded out to her knees, then stopped. Slowly, the ripples of her entrance stilled. When they vanished, she laid the bundle of flowers on the surface and watched it sink. 

 

Ghrian rubbed his palms on his thighs, trying to warm up. The prayed was it wasn’t his face Bláth saw in the Pool. He grimaced. Her family had always wanted the power his family had. If his mother decided to marry him to Bláth, he didn’t know what he would do. 

 

“Bet her lover is a troll,” Samharah whispered in his ear. 

 

Ghrian grinned. “A really ugly one,” he whispered back, “just like her soul.” 

 

“Hope he comes and takes her away sooner rather than later.”

 

They lapsed into silence, both watching the girl staring at the water. Ghrian saw no change, no image appeared in the water, no voice called out from nowhere. It just looked like a silly girl trying to catch her death of cold by standing in a pond.

 

“How long does this take?” Samharah grumbled. “It’s a glimpse, not a vision.” 

 

After another long moment, Bláth stumbled back. She turned, looking around herself before her gaze settled on them. She lifted her chin and came out of the Pool, dropping her skirts over her wet feet. 

 

“My love is a prince from a faraway land,” she pronounced. “He’s handsome and he’ll make me a queen.” 

 

Ghrian snorted. Of course, life couldn’t be fair. But at least she wouldn’t be  _ his _ headache for the rest of his life. Samharah stood and walked into the pond next, offering her beads to the water. Just like Bláth, she watched them vanish and stood frozen. 

 

If anyone deserved a prince, it was Samharah. She was kind and gentle, but strong and brilliant. She would make a good Chieftainess for them. Ghrian tried to wrap his mind around the idea of being her husband.They had been friends since the womb. Ghrian adored her, but he just didn’t see her like the other boys did. They talked of bringing her gifts, wanting her affections, and dancing with her at festivals. Ghrian just saw his friend whom he climbed trees with, learned to ride horses with, and who snuck into his room to talk about magic late at night. 

 

In fact, he hadn’t felt like that with any of the village girls. Yet another thing wrong with him. But if his mother decided he would be Samharah’s husband, he would do everything in his power to make sure she was happy. 

 

After another endless moment, Samharah lifted her head. Unlike Bláth, Samharah smiled at nothing, and seemed to float her way out of the water. When she reached the shore, she twirled like a spring dancer. 

 

“My love is a kind man, who will love me all of our days.” She sighed, lovestruck. She hugged herself, grinning. “I can’t wait to meet him.” 

 

Ghrian’s heart fell. So, it wasn’t him. He chewed his lower lip. That meant his mother would send him away to marry a girl from another village. Now he wasn’t so sure he wanted to look into the Seeing Pool. 

 

“Ghrian, it’s your turn,” Samharah said in a dreamy whisper. “Go on, I know your future wife will be lovely.” 

 

Bláth scoffed. “She’ll be whoever the Chieftainess sees fit for him.” 

 

Ghrian pushed himself to his feet and retrieved his feather. Time to see what fate had in store. He walked into the Pool, half sure the water would reject him. When it didn’t, he kept going. When he was in up to his knees, he stopped. It took forever for the ripples to still, but when the surface was smooth once more, he placed the feather on the water. It sank the moment it left his hand as the spirits took the offering. 

 

Nothing happened. No face appeared in the water. Ghrian clenched and unclenched his hands to warm them as he stood like a fool. The night went on with no look at his future lover. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill down his face. Even the wild magic rejected him. He wanted to scream in frustration. He didn’t ask to be a boy. He knew he could be good at magic if only given the chance. But men couldn't do magic.

 

An eerily cold wind blew in from the north. It cut right through Ghrian’s clothes and froze him to the bone. The surface of the water didn’t so much as ripple. Instead, the reflected stars disappeared one by one. Ghrian’s breath caught in his throat as darkness encroached all around him. The stars vanished, leaving only the moon. Then, shadows crept across the silvery orb, swallowing it whole. Something was wrong. Ghrian tried to take a step back, but he was held fast by invisible hands. The shadows came for him. Darkness enveloped him, leaving him tumbling into nothingness. He tried to call out, but his voice remained lodged in his throat. What had he done wrong?

 

Hoofbeats pounded in his ears. He turned, but there was nothing but blackness. The hoofbeats faded, then came again from elsewhere. Ghrian spun, looking for the beast, but none appeared. A shrieking whinny nearly sent him jumping out of his skin. He whirled around. 

 

He stood on a hill, drenched in darkness. Clouds obscured the sky and though the moon was full, she couldn’t shine through the gloom. At the foot of the hill was a sprawling village ablaze with light. It was bigger than anything Ghrian had ever seen. He wondered how many candles it must take to light the night like it was daytime. 

 

A snort at his side made him jump. He landed on his rear and scrambled back. A massive horse, blacker than the night, stood poised on the edge of the hill. Its eye sockets held flaming orbs that dropped smoldering embers. It snorted and a stream of smoke curled from its nostrils, shrouding its face. It strained forward, mouth open, fang-filled maw reaching toward the village. A sharp jerk of reins brought the beast to heel. 

 

Ghrian’s gaze followed the reins back to the hands that held them. His heart slammed in his chest as he took in the rider. It didn’t seem possible, but the rider was darker than his steed. He wore black boots, breeches, gloves, jerkin, and a long, flowing coat with a high collar. Red colored the underside of his coat and the ruffles at his wrist. 

 

Long, black hair hung past his shoulders in soft curls that danced in the breeze. His skin was a rich brown. Ghrian had never seen anyone like this man. Though, this was no man. He was a fairy lord, or even perhaps something beyond the fair folk. Dread rushed through Ghrian’s veins. His lover was to be someone of the Other World? 

 

The man cocked his head to one side. Ghrian stopped breathing even though he couldn’t be seen. This was only a glimpse the wild magic provided. The rider couldn’t know he was here… could he? 

 

The man turned, his eyes locking with Ghrian’s. Emotions exploded through him so quickly he thought he might burst. Fear. Wonder. Curriousiy. Dread. And something he’d never felt before that he had no name for. It was like a fire low in his belly that made him hot all over. 

 

The dark rider was unearthly handsome. His brown skin was smooth save where it was marred by deep scars on his cheeks and eyebrows. A thin, stately beard circled his mouth. Soft lips curled back into a smile that revealed perfect, white teeth. But his eyes… his eyes were the color of a candle flame. They seemed to flicker and dance, yellow to red to orange. His eyes held Ghrian captive surely as the strongest chains. 

 

In a fluid swirl of black, the man dismounted. His boots pounded the ground as he approached. Ghrian tried to scramble away, but he couldn’t move. The man knelt over him, trapping Ghrian with his powerful body. The heat in Ghrian’s belly turned into a confusing smolder. 

 

“There you are,” the man said, his voice smooth and soft. 

 

A gloved hand cupped Ghrian’s cheek, thumb stroking his cheekbone. Ghrian trembled. The man smiled, his candle-flame eyes hooded. He pulled Ghrian forward, pressing their lips together. The smolder in Ghrian turned into a raging fire. He needed more of whatever this feeling was. The man was happy to give it to him. He forced Ghrian’s head back, pressing his tongue to his lips. Ghrian opened his mouth. The wicked tongue licked into him, sparking firestorms of sensation everywhere it touched. Ghrian whined, unsure of everything but the need he felt. The man claimed Ghrian like a conquering king. They kissed until the world was nothing more than lips and tongue. The man pulled back, leaving Ghrian panting, hungry for more. 

 

“Innocence,” the man said in a revertent whisper. “How strange a taste on  _ your _ lips.” 

 

Ghrian thought his world would shatter if the man didn’t kiss him again. There was a ache in his chest that needed to be stopped. He leaned forward, trying to ease the ache with more of the man. He pressed his lips to the man’s and was rewarded with a soft chuckle. 

 

“So, you were always addicted to my kiss. Good to know.”

 

Ghrian paid the words no mind and opened his mouth. The man’s tongue drove him to madness once more. His body was aflame with desire. That was the word for the feeling filling him to bursting.  _ Desire _ . He wanted this man with everything he had, and he didn’t know why. 

 

Something cold grabbed his arm and pulled him backwards. He cried out, reaching for the man. A warm hand cupped his cheek. Ghrian stopped moving. The man’s power held him even as the cold force tried to pry him away.  

 

“You cannot escape,” the man said against Ghrian’s lips. “Body and soul, you belong to me.” 

 

“Please,” he whispered. For what he begged, Ghrian had no idea, only that he needed this man like he needed air. 

 

“We will be together soon.” The hand slipped away, fingers brushing across his lips. “You will always be  _ mine _ , Jack.”

 

Ghrian plunged into darkness. His lungs burned but his body was cold. Something tugged on his arm. He thrashed. His head broke the surface of the water and gasped, his lungs greedily sucking in air. Where? What? A hand around his arm tugged him. He followed it, dragging himself out of the Seeing Pool and onto the bank. 

 

“What in the name of all the gods and spirits happened to you?” Samharah demanded. 

 

Ghrian’s breathing finally steadied. He looked from his drenched friend to Bláth. Both of their faces were ash-white, staring at him like he had returned from the dead. He looked back at the Seeing Pool. Its reflective waters were black despite the moon and stars still lighting the sky. 

 

“I….” He didn’t know what happened. 

 

“Ghrian, you  _ vanished _ into the Pool,” Samharah said, slowly. “The water is only knee deep.” 

 

“I saw….” He didn’t know what to tell her. That his love was man? One of the fair folk? Something beyond them? By the spirits, the man had seen him, touched him through a vision. What power must he command to make that possible?

 

“A dark spirit wanted him!” Bláth hissed. 

 

Ghrian would have happily gone with the man who had set his world on fire. The thought scared him. A fair one wanted him. No good ever came to the human who loved one of the fair folk. That man would be his doom. And yet, the memory of his kiss set Ghrian’s heart pounding and his lips desperate for more.

 

“He’s twice cursed! You taking him from the spirit that claimed him will only end in disaster!”

 

Samharah hissed for Bláth to be quiet, then cupped Ghrian’s face. “Are you okay?”

 

He nodded. Samharah looked back at the dark Seeing Pool. “We need to go.” 

 

“If he tainted the Pool we’ll all be cast out,” Bláth hissed. She lifted her skirts and dashed up the stone steps without waiting for them. 

 

Samharah helped him get to his unsteady feet. 

 

“You’re sure you’re alright? You nearly drowned.”

 

He nodded again. She peered into his eyes, as if trying to read his mind.   
  
“What did you See?” 

 

Ghrian’s heart pounded. “I don’t know,” he said truthfully. “I think… I think it might have been a fair one.”

 

His friend’s eyes went wide. “For your sake, I hope not!” She took his hand and lead him toward the stairs. “Lets go before the spirits take you again.” 

 

Ghrian followed her up the stairs, but he paused at the rim of the hollow. He looked back at the Pool. 

 

_ Jack….  _

 

He shuttered as the man’s voice seemed to caress his ear. He hurried after Samharah, hopping to leave the confusing mess behind him. But a fading voice still reached his ear as the Seeing Pool vanished behind the trees. 

 

_ You cannot escape. You will always be mine, Jack. _

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing good at the new job, it's just been a very stressful time for me transitioning, so I haven't written much. Please be patent with me. I'm going to blizzcon over the weekend, so no story this upcoming Sunday! It should be the following Sunday that I post again, and I'll give everyone another up date then as to when I'll be posting more! 
> 
> Thank you all so much, and have a fun Halloween!


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